RE: Ending Section 163 of Continuing Resolution (H.R. 3082), which Negatively Changed the Definition of a "Highly Qualified" Teacher under the No Child Left Behind Act

Dear President Obama:

The Coalition for Teaching Quality remains deeply concerned that the Administration and Congress have yet to fix a serious flaw in federal policy that prevents all students from having equal access to fully-prepared and effective teachers. That flaw is Section 163, a provision inserted in the December 2010 Continuing Resolution (H.R. 3082) making it lawful for teachers who are still in training to be labeled as “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). We urge you to close this harmful policy gap by requesting that Congress not extend this provision during the upcoming September 30th Continuing Resolution vote, thereby allowing the amendment to sunset by June 30, 2013.

This harmful provision, which should not be extended, allows teachers who have not yet completed their training to be labeled “highly qualified teachers” through June 30, 2013. Allowing this temporary provision to expire on June 30, 2013, would be an important positive step forward in providing high need students and families across the country equal access to fully-prepared and high quality teachers. This is critical as research shows that teachers who are still in training are less effective than those who have attained certification. These same under-prepared teachers have also been found to be disproportionately concentrated in schools and classrooms filled with our most vulnerable students -- the very students who need and deserve the most highly-qualified teachers.

Section 163 -- the only amendment to NCLB in the decade long history of the law -- was inserted into the Continuing Resolution without notice to concerned public stakeholders and without public debate. Notwithstanding the urgent need to fix NCLB and reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the best place to craft these critical education policies is the reauthorization process with input from all stakeholders, not a stealthily executed temporary budget bill. To aid with the reauthorization process, The Coalition for Teaching Quality, comprised of 89 local, state, and national organizations representing civil rights, disability, parent, student, community, and education groups, has developed a new, comprehensive framework for teaching quality which addresses the inequitable distribution of fully-prepared and effective teachers.

The nation’s growth and the strength of our democracy are dependent on the educational success of all of our students. Fully-prepared and effective teachers are a prerequisite for assuring that success. Unfortunately, many of our students, especially those with the highest needs, have little-to-no access to such teachers. The Coalition for Teaching Quality remains committed to working in partnership with Congress and the Administration to ensure all students have equal access to excellent, genuinely highly-qualified teachers.

Sincerely,

Members of the Coalition for Teaching Quality (list attached)

cc: Members, U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Members, U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education & Related Agencies Members, U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Members, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Members, U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Members, U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Coalition for Teaching Quality (89 Organizations)

National Organizations

Alliance for Multilingual Multicultural Education American Council on Education American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education American Association of State Colleges and Universities American Council for School Social WorkAssociation of University Centers on Disabilities ASPIRA Association Autistic Self Advocacy Network Autism National Committee Center for Teaching Quality Citizens for Effective Schools Communities for Excellent Public Schools Council for Exceptional ChildrenCouncil of Parent Attorneys and Advocates Disability Policy Collaboration, A Partnership of The Arc and UCP Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Inc Easter Seals Education Law Center FairTest, The National Center for Fair & Open Testing First Focus Campaign for Children Gamaliel Foundation Helen Keller National Center Higher Education Consortium for Special Education Latino Elected and Appointed Officials National Task Force on EducationLawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law League of United Latin American CitizensLearning Disabilities Association of America Movement Strategy Center NAACP NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.National Alliance of Black School Educators National Association of Elementary School PrincipalsNational Association of Secondary School PrincipalsNational Association of State Directors of Special Education National Center for Learning Disabilities National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness National Council for Educating Black Children National Council of Teachers of English National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Disability Rights Network National Down Syndrome Congress National Down Syndrome Society National Education Association National Indian Education Association National Latino Education Research & Policy Project National Opportunity to Learn Campaign Action FundNational PTANational Urban League Parents Across America Partnership for 21st Century SkillsPublic Advocates Inc.Public Education Network Rural School and Community Trust School Social Work Association of America SEDL South East Asia Resource Action Center TASH - Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional ChildrenTESOL International Association United Church of Christ Justice & Witness Ministries

State and Local Organizations

Action Now – Illinois Action Now – North Carolina ACTION United Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Arkansas Community Organizations Bay Area Parent Leadership Action Network Brighton Park Neighborhood Council – Chicago California Association for Bilingual Education Californians for Justice Californians Together California Latino School Boards Association Campaign for Quality Education Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning Coalition for Educational Justice Delawareans for Social and Economic Justice Educate Our State Grow Your Own Illinois Inner City Struggle Justice Matters Legal Advocates for Children and Youth Parent-U-Turn Parents for Unity RYSE Center San Francisco Teacher ResidencyTexas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education Youth On Board – Somerville, MA Youth Together